Module Introduction
To create a school culture where everyone belongs, we need to examine our own beliefs about social and emotional well-being and belonging. Why? Because that’s where our behavior and attitudes towards students and colleagues start. If we communicate to them that they don’t measure up or belong—whether we mean to or not—then it’s our responsibility to undo these beliefs in ourselves.
In this module, we start by examining our beliefs about belonging. We also look at how certain SEL skills are culturally defined, and why some SEL skills may not fit with some of our students’ cultural backgrounds.
More specifically, we:
- Examine our beliefs about emotions, success, fairness, and other cultural norms, and compare them with others’ beliefs, using the “iceberg” model of culture
- Compare how individualistic cultures versus collectivist cultures view the self and others, and explore how these differing views have an enormous impact on how we teach SEL in today’s diverse schools
- Determine how educators can make SEL “culturally-expansive” to honor students’ families’ varying approaches to social and emotional well-being
Module Resources
This toolkit includes additional resources, including classroom lessons and practices, staff meeting activities, videos, podcasts, articles, and professional development opportunities, as well as supporting materials for group facilitation on the topic of "Safety and Belonging in Schools".
Individual Exploration
Let’s surface our beliefs about well-being and belonging in schools. Explore the following videos, reflection questions, and resources.
Why We Need to Examine Our Beliefs
(narrated by Vicki Zakrzewski, Ph.D., Education Director, Greater Good Science Center)
Reflection
- How do you define personal well-being and collective well-being?
- How are your definitions relevant to your students’ lives, both in and out of school? Would they agree with your definitions? Would your colleagues agree?
- Why are you bringing this work into your classroom or school?
- Do your reasons align with your colleagues’ reasons and/or with why students’ families might want to do this work in schools?
Surfacing Our Beliefs About Social and Emotional Well-Being
(narrated by Vicki Zakrzewski, Ph.D., Education Director, Greater Good Science Center)
Reflection
- If you were to explain the iceberg model of culture to a student or colleague, how would you explain it?
- How can the iceberg model of culture be used to surface our beliefs about social-emotional well-being?
- If a student or colleague comes from a different background than yours, how might you learn more about their background in order to better connect with them?
How Culture Impacts SEL “Norms” and Curricula
(narrated by Vicki Zakrzewski, Ph.D., Education Director, Greater Good Science Center)
Reflection
- When have you seen or read an SEL lesson that didn’t align with your cultural beliefs and background or with your students’ background? How might you adapt the lesson to fit the cultural norms of your students?
- Think of a time you may have changed or avoided discussions on race, culture, or identity because the content felt too “risky” or made you uncomfortable because of your beliefs? What might be a downside of avoiding conversations or topics you personally find challenging?
- Do your beliefs about personal and collective well-being privilege your values over your students’ values in any way? For example, do you believe that personal well-being is more important than collective well-being?
- If your beliefs differ, is it possible to honor these differences in a way where none are viewed through a deficit lens?
Belonging in Schools
Interview with Kamilah Drummond-Forrester on Belonging
What Does It Mean to Belong?
Belonging: Building a Culture of Belonging through Adult Reflection
Belonging: Bringing an Equity Lens to SEL
Belonging : A New Vision of Education
Reflection
- What stood out for you from the interview with Kamilah? Why?
- What reflection practice do you use to challenge your assumptions about others?
2.2 Take it Deeper: Iceberg Questions: Reflecting on Culture
Let’s further examine our own beliefs and our classroom cultures. Here is a downloadable guide to help you.
Module Resources
This toolkit includes additional resources, including classroom lessons and practices, staff meeting activities, videos, podcasts, articles, and professional development opportunities, as well as supporting materials for group facilitation on the topic of "Safety and Belonging in Schools".
A reflection activity to help you think about your beliefs and classroom culture.
Group Facilitation
Before facilitating groups, spend time in individual exploration in order to experience and embody the learning. And if you haven’t yet explored our introduction to SEL in California, make sure you explore those resources, too.
When facilitating groups, use the following resources:
This toolkit includes additional resources, including classroom lessons and practices, staff meeting activities, videos, podcasts, articles, and professional development opportunities, as well as supporting materials for group facilitation on the topic of "Safety and Belonging in Schools".
A revisable, turnkey powerpoint slide deck to use for professional learning sessions on the topic of "Safety and Belonging in Schools".
A powerpoint slide deck with welcoming and closing activities to include in professional learning sessions.
A reflection activity to help you think about your beliefs and classroom culture.
Additional Modules
Safety and Belonging in Schools
- Module 2.1 Why Belonging Matters
- Module 2.2 Knowing Ourselves First: Surfacing Our Beliefs About Social and Emotional Well-Being and Belonging in Schools
- Module 2.3 The Questions of Belonging: Interventions to Help Students Feel Like They Belong
- Module 2.4 Meeting Students’ Psychological Needs to Help Them Feel Like They Belong
- Module 2.5 Cultivating Belonging Through Teacher-Student and Peer Relationships
- Module 2.6 Building a Belonging School Through Trust and Psychological Safety
Do you want to dive deeper into the science behind our GGIE practices? Enroll in one of our online courses for educators!
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